Talmadge-Anderson is director of public relations for the Virginia Tourism Corporation, which is hosting the first-ever Virginia Craft Beer Month in August. The theme of this year’s beer month is “Love on Tap,” a nod to the “Virginia is for Lovers” slogan.
Why was it important to initiate Craft Beer Month?
Virginia’s craft beers are award-winning, and there are more than 40 craft breweries across the state. This idea for August Virginia Craft Beer Month started with our craft brewers and then quickly gained support from the governor and General Assembly because it supports tourism and economic development.
Can you talk a little about the features of the interactive map?
To make it easy for visitors to plan a trip to Virginia’s craft breweries, we’ve created an interactive map at virginia.org/craftbeer that pinpoints each brewery with a little beer mug icon, so you can see exactly where they are across the state and plan a trip to visit. The site also lists all the August Virginia Craft Beer Month special events and travel packages. You can also find nearby hotels, inns and B&Bs, as well as local restaurants and attractions for a nice little getaway to Virginia.
What events are you looking forward to during the month?
The biggest event is going to be the Virginia Craft Brew Festival on Aug. 25 at Devils Backbone in Nelson County. This brewery is in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is such a beautiful setting.
What do you hope visitors will take away from Craft Beer Month?
We hope that people will think of Virginia as a great place to visit to taste and enjoy handcrafted beer in beautiful settings, surrounded by nature, great local restaurants and exciting attractions.
– Roxanne Turnbull
